Remember your first full-time office job? How unprepared were you to sit in one chair, in one room, with the same group of people day in and day out? School doesn't cut it. Even at school you get the occasional break - moving from classroom to classroom or the gym for the dreaded P.E. hour. No. The office is something entirely different.

Obviously, it was kind of hard on me. My first job was at a major multinational corporation. The woman I worked for sat me down at a desk and trained me from 9-5 for two solid weeks.The training was intense, but it was HANDS DOWN the best job training I've ever received. For eight hours a day I looked at the hair on her arms and swore I'd never wear a finger condom when *I* filed. (That was *before* I found out that I was responsible for filing 2,000 paper purchase orders by number each and every day.) For those two weeks of training, the bathroom stall was my only private space. And it wasn't even that private. No matter what time of day, it seemed that a certain elderly employee would be settled in the adjacent stall smoking a cigarette and flinging questions toward my high heels.

This was a long time ago. Back then you could still smoke at your desk! I was so young I once believed an ingrown toenail caused by those pointy, 80's high heels worthy of a visit to the corporate nurse. Times are different now. It's 11 a.m. and I'm wearing flip flops in my home office. And that's just the start.

But I digress. A friend shared this ThinkGeek product on Facebook and I had to post it here.The Insta Sky flourescent light filter creates...well...an instasky out of those miserable overhead office lights. Simple products (like Anti-Bad-Mood Sprays) can change the mood of the whole room. A perfect gift for that office worker in your life. Add a bottle of Apathy and they're set for the year.

The yellow? Or the orange. Obviously the orange. Coming soon: a mini four-pack of Anti-Bad-Mood Spray bottles. For your bad moods on-the-go. This package will replace the mini aromatherapy mood spray tins in time for the holidays.

I came across this article on Huffington Post and thought I'd share. Beth Greer, the author of Super Natural Home, explains how chemicals hidden in everyday products can impact our health. I shared a piece with you about BPA and phthalates a few months ago, and Greer's article highlights many of the same issues. I frequently share articles like this one because I believe there are very real risks inherent in scented products - some of which may have contributed to my own health challenges over the years. It is certainly one reason that I make a series of natural products to freshen the air:

Chemicals in the everyday products we use in our homes may be
negatively affecting our hormones, says a newly-released study by WHO,
the World Health Organization. The study, titled "State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals," says pesticides, plasticizers and product additives contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals
(EDCs). They act like synthetic hormones, throwing off the body's
natural hormonal system. A hormone is a chemical messenger produced in
the glands in our endocrine system and released in our blood and affects
everything from mood to metabolism.

One of the chemicals investigated in the study is BPA, or bisphenol A, which mimics estrogen if it's introduced into your body. It can get there by leaching out
of hard plastic bottles, especially if they are heated (in microwave
ovens or dishwashers) or exposed to acidic solutions (tomato sauce). BPA
is also found in plastic reusable food containers, canned soup, soda
cans, and cash register and ATM receipts.

Frederick vom Saal,
a biology professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia and one of
the leading BPA researchers in the country, says that in studies of laboratory animals BPA changes play behavior, weakens gender differences, decreases sperm count, stimulates prostate cancer and causes ADHD symptoms.

BPA Is Also Making Us Fat

A study of nearly 3,000 children and teens in the September 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found a significant association between levels of BPA in kids' urine and obesity.
The report said that kids with the highest levels of BPA in their urine
were over 2.5 times more likely to be obese compared to those with low
levels of the chemical.

BPA might also be responsible for another disturbing effect. "I saw
lots of 10- and 11-year-old boys with breasts," said Michelle Perro,
M.D., during an interview, referring to what she observed while on a
recent beach vacation. "I also am seeing a number of them in my office,
and I'm convinced it's partially due to BPA in plastic that's acting as
an endocrine disruptor," said Dr. Perro, a Marin County, Calif.
pediatrician who's been practicing medicine for 30 years.

Kids Are at Risk

Children are exposed especially from eating canned foods. In a new report
by the Breast Cancer Fund, dangerous levels were found in a wide
variety of canned foods specifically marketed towards kids. Some of the
highest levels were found in Campbell's Disney Princess and Toy Story
soups as well as from "healthy" companies like Annie's Homegrown and
Earth's Best Organic.

BPA Is Everywhere and Inside Almost Everyone

We are repeatedly being exposed to BPA on a daily basis and it's
showing up in our bodies. Nearly 93 percent of people aged 6 or older
had detectable levels of BPA in their urine, according to a 2003-2004
National Health and Nutrition Examination survey. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) also found BPA in umbilical cord blood,
indicating that this chemical starts polluting babies in the womb.
Infants then are exposed to BPA from their formula cans, baby bottles,
sippy cups and mother's milk (if the nursing mom eats canned foods).

Toxic Shell Game

Last year the FDA finally banned BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups, but in some instances BPA is being replaced with BPS,
which lacks scientific research. "When they replace BPA with chemicals
that are less well known and less well studied it's simply a toxic shell
game," said Michael Green, executive director of the Center for
Environmental Health (CEH)
in Oakland, Calif., during a recent interview. "They don't know the
health impacts of these new chemicals and in my opinion, they don't want
to know the health impacts, because if they know, they may have some
liability or responsibility," he added. According to Green, the solution
is to create and enforce new regulations on toxic chemicals. "We need
to change the rules that govern what chemical companies can and cannot
use in products, especially those designed for small children to put in
their mouths."

Things You Can Do to Drastically Cut Down on BPA Exposure

Limit canned foods.* If you do eat from cans, seek
out companies that claim not to use BPA. These include Trader Joe's,
Eden Foods, Westbrook Farms and Bionaturae.

Choose foods in glass jars whenever possible.

Opt for fresh or frozen food. Every can you pass up means less BPA in your body.

If you use infant formula, choose the powdered variety in non-steel cans.

Stop using plastic food containers in the microwave -- heat it in glass instead.

Deny receipts whenever possible.

*Note: BPA levels in different canned foods varies wildly, but a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association detected shocking levels. The levels of BPA in participants skyrocketed 1,000 percent after eating a can of Progresso soup. Dangerously high levels have also been detected in popular brands of kids' canned foods.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom®, is author of the bestseller "Super Natural Home,"
endorsed by Deepak Chopra and Ralph Nader. She's former President of
The Learning Annex, and an environmental health advocate who eliminated a
sizable tumor in her chest without drugs or surgery. Beth is also an
inspiring speaker and popular media guest having appeared on CNN, ABC
and NBC. She designs Working Healthy corporate wellness programs and
personalized in-home detox audits nationwide. www.BethGreer.com

I rabbit on about the dangers of synthetic fragrances but my friends just smile and nod. In all honesty, they probably decided I was crazy years before I started this anti-bad-mood spray company. My guess is that whenever my anti-phthalate argument kicks in at the dinner table they just tune me out and start thinking about their personal lives. Or maybe that's just my sister. I don't know.

Anyway. The facts are these:

Phthalates are chemicals used in cosmetics, air fresheners, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and perfumes to make fragrances last longer. Two common phthalates are DBP (di-n-butyle phthalate) and DEHP (di[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate).

In tests on lab rats, certain phthalates have been linked to an anti-testosterone effect, specifically testicular "changes," liver problems, and cancer. A study of 319 mother-and-child pairs from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health showed a link between higher phthalate exposure in utero and slower development in children.

In an interview for The Environment Report, study director Robin Whyatt stated, "Three of the phthalates were significantly associated with behavioral
disorders, or behavioral problems: anxious, depressed behaviors,
emotionally reactive behaviors, withdrawn behavior.” The study also noted a link between the presence of phthalates in the mothers' urine and motor problems in children. The study controlled for a long list of other factors, including smoke, lead, pesticides, and other common chemicals found in our every-day environment.

The European Union bans DBP and DEHP, along with a third phthalate, BBP.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has placed both DBP and DEHP on a
list of chemicals that may be hazardous to humans.The problem is that manufacturers of cosmetics and synthetic fragrances aren't required to
disclose ingredients on the label. You'll simply see "fragrance" on the
list without being able to determine whether the phthalates were added to the product.

Now, obviously, I make my own air fresheners out of totally natural, good-smelling essential oils and sell them on the interwebs for anyone who'd like to give them a try. Sometimes, people tell me that they don't want to try spray my products in shared spaces and I don't say anything, but I'm thinking..."You have no idea how many harmful chemicals are part of your every-day world. A little pink grapefruit essential oil might be the best thing that ever happens to you."

But I don't say that. I just politely nod and smile and respect their decision. But a fifteen-year study from Columbia University is good enough evidence for me. I don't need my toddler to grow man boobs
to convince me not to use fabric softener, ok? My towels smell like
towels, not Jamaican Kiwi-Vanilla Shazam! And I'm just fine with that.

HR Products LLC does not test products on animals or
use source materials and ingredients that have been tested on animals.We are certified Vegan by Vegan Action.

The ingredients in each anti-bad-mood spray are
natural and safe to use. Essential oils are organically sourced, wherever
possible. Unlike most commercial room sprays, our products are free of
formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and phthalates. They are hand-blended in Winchester,
Virginia.

Each mood lifting spray is minimally packaged. Our
lightweight aluminum bottle has a label printed on a biodegradable, synthetic
“paper.” The bottle tops are 100 percent recyclable. Our website provides
instructions for cleaning the bottles and suggestions for reuse.

It costs more to do things this way. Especially if
you’re a small company. But at the end of the day, I go to bed knowing I’ve put
something out in the world that makes people happier – not just because of the
essential oils inside each spray. I make products that won’t compromise the
health of customers, their families, pets, or the environment. I make products
that people fall in love with and can’t live without.